Window treatments having cords to raise and lower the window treatment are well known in the art. However, these prior-art corded window treatments suffer from the disadvantage of exposing children and animals to a potential strangulation hazard. In particular, it is well documented that children or animals can become caught in the cords and be strangled. Various regulations and methods have been adopted to reduce the potential of strangulation to occur, such as using detachable cords and cords that have no continuous loops. However, the potential of strangulation is so great that it is desirable to produce a window treatment that lacks cords entirely, yet can still be mechanically raised and lowered. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a window treatment that lacks cords to adjust the height of the window treatment.
Also, window treatments that are suspended from brackets that are attached to a wall surrounding a window opening are well known in the art. The prior art brackets are often configured to attach to in two different ways: (a) to the wall which faces the interior space of the structure, and since such wall is outside of the window opening, it is referred to as an “outside mount,” or (b) a within the recess the window opening, which is referred to as an “inside mount.” However, these prior art systems suffer from a couple of disadvantages. Outside mount assemblies necessarily space the window treatment away from the plane of the wall or window frame, which makes the window treatment drafty and less heat efficient. Inside mount assemblies are limited by the width of the window opening because the window treatment is also within the confines of the window opening, and disadvantageously permit light and draft to pass by the sides of the window treatment.
Accordingly, there is a perceived need in the industry for a method of mounting a window treatment in a window opening that permits the window treatment to overlap the sides of the window opening like an outside mount, yet is nearly flush with the window opening like an inside mount.